Leave no Stone unturned to 'designate a funding pot for potholes,' says MP
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Jamie Stone, the MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, has today called on Highland Council to ring-fence funding for road improvements ahead of its upcoming budget.
Mr Stone’s calls come after long-standing issues in the far north have led to roads rapidly deteriorating in recent years and without adequate intervention.
He said: “The council is in the driving seat and, in coming times, they will need to agree on the budget and steer the region towards a better future. Of course, these are challenging times for the council and resources are limited but this ask is reasonable and necessary.”
In his letter to the local authority, the MP describes his personal experience suffering from two tyre blow-outs in the last six months alone.
Just this month, data published by Highland Council showed that, when comparing 2015 to 2023, less than half as many work orders are being completed, he pointed out. In 2015, more than 98 percent of the 3726 work orders raised by the council were completed. In 2023, just 38 percent of the 2801 orders were completed. It is thought that significant budgetary pressures faced by the local authority have led to a decline in service delivery levels.
“Simply put, I want the council to listen to the valid concerns raised by the people of the Far North and to ring-fence funding for the reconditioning of our roads both in the short and long term.”
